Electrical connectors for use in automotive, industrial, and military applications often include connector housings having a plurality of signal contact wires and contacts disposed therein. In order to promote flexibility and ease in rendering these connections, the contacts often include receptacles and pins which can be mated in a matter of seconds to provide electrical continuity.
There are at least two current challenges to electrical connector manufacturers that have gathered the most attention of late: cost reduction and reliability. The art is focusing upon new and more efficient manufacturing processes for producing large quantities of these receptacles and pin contacts at the lowest possible cost. Additionally, new and better contact designs are being targeted to achieve better conductivity, greater forgiveness to alignment problems, and higher strength. Connector elements are often mishandled and subjected to sever environmental and mechanical stresses. Mis-sizing of pins within smaller receptacles has often resulted in damage to the contacts and unreliable connections. Misalignment of any of the constituent portions of these connectors can also result in bending of the contacts and failure of the wiring. Finally, care must be taken in order to reduce corrosion from moisture, as well as the development of interfering oxidation layers on conductive surfaces. Accordingly, there remains a need for a more continuous and reliable process for manufacturing these components in the shortest amount of time. There also remains a need for components which resist deformation and are highly reliable in service.